Window regulator



Aug. 27, 1968 av 3,398,488

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed May 25. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l '2' J Z 9 INVENTOR. [balls 4. Germ Aug. 27, 1968 GAF-EVEY WINDOW REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2-3. 1966 INVENTOR. ,2 012:: .2 5a wag;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,398,488 WINDOW REGULATOR Louis P. Garvey, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,271 Claims. (Cl. 49-350) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is a window regulator mechanism in which a stabilizer is fixedly mounted on and projects from the stationary regulator mounting plate. The stabilizer has a free edge portion which lies adjacent the path of swinging movement of the Window lift arm and is formed on an arc concentric with said path. Guide means on the lift arm slidably engage the stabilizer to provide a guide and bearing surface for the lift arm.

This invention relates to a window regulator and, more particularly, to a stabilized window regulator for an automobile.

One feature of the invention is that it provides an improved window regulator. Another feature of the invention is that it provides an automobile window regulator having improved stabilizer means. A further feature of the invention is that it provides a window regulator having a stabilizer projecting from the mounting plate of the regulator and having a free edge lying adjacent the path of swinging movement of the regulator lift arm, said free edge being formed on an arc concentric with the path of swinging movement of the lift arm, and said lift arm having means providing a guide and bearing surface for the free edge of the stabilizer. Still another feature of the invention is that the free edge of the stabilizer is contoured over the course of its length in directions generally transverse of the plane of the window to provide for movement of the window in a path corresponding to such contour.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specifications and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile body with the improved window regulator, a portion of the outer body wall being broken away to show underlying structure;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the window regulator, being taken along the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a detail section through the lift arm being taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an automobile body, designated generally as in FIGURE 1, has a rear quarter portion with an outer wall 12 and a spaced inner wall 13. A rear quarter window 14 is mounted between the upper edge or belt line of the rear quarter portion and the lower edge of the roof 16, the window being movable down into the space between the walls 12 and 13 from the closed position of FIGURE 1 to an open position. The window is movable between its terminal open and closed positions by means of a crank-operated window regulator.

A mounting plate 20 is located in the space between the walls 12 and 13, being riveted to the inner wall 13 of the automobile body at a location below the belt line, and a drive member comprising a gear sector 22 is pivotally mounted by means of a stub shaft 24 to which the sector is connected. A lift arm 26 is fixedly mounted at one end on the drive member and projects radially and gen- 3,398,488 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 ice erally rearwardly and upwardly therefrom. The free end of the lift arm carries a roller 28 which rides in a channel 30 carried on the lower edge of the frame 14a of the window, so that, when the lift arm is swung downwardly from the position of FIGURE 1, it swings the window from its terminal closed position toward its terminal open position in conventional manner. A crank handle 32 is located inside the automobile body, being mounted on an upper portion of the mounting plate 20, and the crank shaft 34, which extends through the wall 13 and the mounting plate 20, carries a pinion 36, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the sector 22 to provide drive means for pivoting the sector 22 to swing the lift arm 26 between its two terminal positions. A counterbalance spring 38 is connected between the mounting shaft 24 of the sector and the mounting plate 20 to facilitate closing the window.

The window regulator construction so far described comprises a conventional and well-known single arm regulator. My invention provides an improved and simplified stabilizer means particularly adapted for use with a regulator of this type.

A stabilizer plate 40 is riveted to the mounting plate 20 and projects radially therefrom so that its free edge lies adjacent the path of swinging movement of the lift arm 26 at a location intermediate the ends thereof. As shown in the drawings, the stabilizer 40 has an offset portion 42 and terminates in a flat blade portion 44 lying in a plane parallel to the plane of swinging movement of the lift arm 26 and having a free edge 46 formed on an arc concentric with the path of swinging movement of the lift arm 26 and extending throughout the extent of swinging movement thereof. Guide means comprising a block 48 of anti-friction material, as nylon, is carried by the lift arm 26, being clamped or cemented to a bracket 50 which is riveted at 52 to the lift arm 26. The nylon block 48 has an open-ended slot 54 receiving the blade portion 44 of the stabilizer to provide guide and bearing means therefor. Since the flat blade portion 44 of the stabilizer 40 extends throughout the extent of swinging movement of the lift arm 26, the lift arm is guided and stabilized against transverse movement throughout its range of swinging movement.

In the embodiment of the invention described above, the blade and free edge portions 44, 46 of the stabilizer lie in a plane which is generally parallel with the plane of the window 14 so that movement of the window is in a planar path. FIGURES 5, 6, and 7 illustrate a modified form of the invention wherein the blade and free edge portions of the stabilizer are contoured over the course of the length of the free edge in directions generally transverse of the plane of the window to provide for movement of the window in a path corresponding to such contour.

In FIGURES 5, 6, and 7, the lift arm, which is designated generally by the reference character 60, is formed in two pieces 60a and 60b, which are hinged together at 62 intermediate the fixed mounting point of the hinge arm and its point of contact with the free edge of the stabilizer so that the portion 60b of the hinge arm which carries the roller 28 may swing in directions generally transverse of the plane of the window 14. The stabilizer 64 has a blade portion 66 with an arcuate free edge 68 which is contoured over the course of the length of the free edge in directions generally transverse of the plane of the window to provide for movement of the window in a path correspondin to such contour. as indicated diagrammaticallv in FIGURE 7 bv the reference character 70. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the window may be moved through a contoured path between open and closed positions rather than in a planar path, as in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4.

While I have shown and described two embodiments of mvinvention, it is .7 capable ofmany modifications.

mounting plate and projecting therefrom, said stabilizer having a free stationary edgeportion lying adjacent the y path of swinging movement of 'said lift arm and being formed on an arc concentric therewith; and guide means on said lift arm providing a guide and bearing surface permitting relative movement in the plane of swinging movement of the lift arm between the free stationary edge portion. of said stabilizer and said liftarm. I

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said stabilizer is formed as a fiat blade adjacent its free edge, and wherein said guide means is formed of anti-friction material.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said stabilizer is formed as a flat blade adjacent its free edge, said blade lying in a plane parallel to the plane of swinging movement of the lift arm, and wherein said guide means is formed of anti-friction material having an open-ended slot receiving said fiat blade to provide guide and bearing means therefor.

4. In a vehicle body, a window regulator comprising: a mounting plate carried by the vehicle body; a drive member comprising a gear sector pivotally mounted on said mounting plate; a lift arm projecting radially from said drive member, being fixedly mounted at one end on said drive member and adapted-tubeconnected at its 'l p 'y g in aplanaparanial tothe plailq a:

swinging movement of the lift arm, said blade portion having a stationaryfree edge formed on an arc concentrio with the path of swinging movement of the lift arm and extending throughout the extent of swinging movement thereof; and guide mean's'comprising a block of anti-friction material carried-by said lift arm and having an open-ended slot receiving the fl at blade portionof said stabilizer to provide guide and bearing means permitting relativemovement in the plane of swingirig' moveme'nt of the lift arm between the free stationary, edge portion of said stabilizer and said lift, arm. f p 'L' 5. Apparatus of the character claimed in clainil; where'- in the free edge portion of the stabilizer is contoured'in directions generally transverse of the plane of the window and the lift arm is hinged intermediate its fixed mounting point and its point of contact with the free edge of said stabilizer to provide for movement of the window in a path corresponding to such contour. 

